Feeler mechanism for looms



Jan. 29, 1924. 1,482,361

. l i. SNOW FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed May 5, 1922 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

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ISAAC SNOW, or LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, AssieNOR To DRAPER CORPORATION, or nornnALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Application :tiled May 5,

following description, lin connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspeciiication, like characters on the drawings representing like parts. Y'

This linvention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms, andmore particularly to that type of feeler mechanisms wherein the l feeler movesin a direction longitudinally of theshuttle to call the change of filling.

In feeler mechanisms ofthe above general type, it sometimes happens that the teeth of the feeler fail to engage the filling with suficient positivenessjto holdvthe feeler from movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle even though a working supply of filling is present; In such case the filling replenishing mechanism will be set in opera tion and the llingwill be changed'` in the shuttle notwithstanding the fact that the filling is not substantially exhausted. This liability of the feeler to movelongitudinally of the shuttle whe'na working supply is present is due tO a variety of causes. f In the first place, the filling strikes the feeler va blow as the lay beats up, and this is liable to cause the feeler to jump without the teeth thereof coming into'holding engagement with the filly ing. Moreover,"as the` filling is. gradually depleted in the shuttle, the feeler may engage the cone'end portion of the filling and where the feeler is of the side swipe type, the incline surface is liable to free the feeler to its longitudinal movement. p This is par- 4,0 ticularly observablein some types of ,filling carriers. j

`An important feature ofthe present invention, therefore, cons-ists of a feeler which is mounted for movement in a direction longitudinallyof the shuttle to call the change, and which is provided with a main and an auxiliary feelertip so constructed and arranged vthat underv normal `working conditions the main feeler tip alone engages the filling in theshuttle, but should the feeler improperly or prematurely move in a directionlongitudinally of the shuttle, when a `working supply of filling is present, then the auxiliary tip comes into play and serves to 1922, Serial No. 558,741.

hold the feeler from movement longitudinally of the Shuttle to call the change.

y In the drawings Figure l is a plan view of a feeler 1nechanism containing the present invention, some of the parts being omitted or'broken away, and showing the feeler under normal working conditions;

Fig. 2 is a plan view similar to that of Fig. l, showing the main tip of the feeler as having failed to holdthe feeler from movement longitudinally of the shuttle, and the auxiliary tip in engagement with the filling p and holding the feeler from such movement;

Fig. 3 is a detached detail vshowing the feeler in dotted lines as having moved longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling is substantially exhausted, the teeth of the auX- iliary tip under such conditions not coming into contact with the filling carrier or bobbing Fig. 4 is a detached perspective detail showing the main and auxiliary feeler tips and the means for relatively adjusting them.

The` replenishing mechanism, and the details of the train of mechanism between the feeler and the replenishing mechanism for effecting replenishment of filling when the feeler partakes of its movement longitudinally of the shuttle, are not herein fully shown and described, because the details of such mechanism form no part of the present invention, and any character of well-known replenishing mechanism may be employed, as well, also, as the train of mechanisms associated with the feeler for causing operation of the replenishing mechanism. Only sufficient of the train of mechanism referred to is shown toy make clear the operation of the invention.

The advantages of the present invention are more markedly observable in connection with a side swipe feeler of the inclined type, wherein the feeler is displaced longitudinally of the shuttle by the fiontward pressure upon it Whenthefilling issubstantially exhausted yon a detecting beat, and the invention `isA herein described `in connection with such type of feeler, although it is to be understood that the invention may be advantageously employed to secure the results sought by the invention in` Yconnection with side swipe feelers of other types.

The feeler stand 1 is provided with the slot 2 through which passes the bolt 3 for swiveied or rocking bearing 9 mounted be tween a bracket 10 vand the feeler stand 1. Between vthe rear portion of the feeler stand and the swivel or rocking bearing 9 the feeler is provided with a spring 11 and a bridge 12 against which the spring bears,

the construction being such that the spring 11 normally holds the feeler in its rearward feeling position.

-rThe slide l has connected to it at 13 the transmitter 14 which constitutes an element inthe train of mechanism between the feeler and the replenishing mechanism for effect inv replenishment of filling.

l he parts so far described are shown as of the same general construction and opera- 4 tion as thefeeler mechanism shown and de-` scribed in the patent to `Edward @..Stimpson,No. 1,809,226, dated July 8, 1919. i

As made clear in the patent to Stimpson, the llay -is provided with the usual `shuttlebox having in its front wall slot for the entrance ofthe feeler. The shuttle 15 is of u sual type and carriesthe filling carrier 16 whichie shown asia bobbin, although cop maybeemployed, if desired. The shuttle 15'is provided with an `opening 17 toregiss ter vwith the opening in the front wall of the shuttle-,box sothat on a detecting beat the feeler may enter the shuttle and feel for the filling18 wound upon the filling carrier.

j The feeler 8 has its rear end portion providedwith a main feeler tip 19, theyfilling engaging portion ofthe tip being formed with teeth, 20 which are preferably made blunt, thatA they may not injuriously affect the filling on the beat-up.

The Vv,feeler 8 also carries an auxiliary ieeler tip 21 which has teeth of a different character than. the teeth of the main feeler j tip. As shown, the auxiliary feeler tip 21 is vformed of a piece of metal which is mount ed on the feeler 8 in separated relation with the Vmain feeler tip. The auxiliary feeler tip may be conveniently formed of a piece of metal formed 'as `a sleeve and mounted for adjustment toward and from the main feeler ltip. As shown, the auxiliary feeler tip 21 has its upper and lower portions united by a set screw 22, Fig. 4, so that by loosening the screw 22 the auxiliary feeler 21 may i j be adjustedtoward `or from the main feeler tip 19 and held in adjusted position by setting up the screw 22.

`vThe main and auxiliary feeler tips are jtip will comeninto action preferably separated by a smooth untoothed portion 23 of the feeler between tlieteeth 21 of the main feeler tip` and the teeth of the auxiliary feeler tip.

`Since the auxiliary feeler tipv i's to act promptly and with positiveness on the iilling to hold the feeler from movement longitudinally of the shuttle when a working sup ply of filling is present, and the main feeler tip has failed to hold the feeler, the teeth of the auxiliary feeler tip are formed sharper than the teeth of the mainy fejeler tip. In the present instance the auxiliary'feeler tip has teeth 24- formed somewhat like saw teeth and facing toward the main feeler tip. `Where the auxiliary feeler tip is formed as asleeve and mounted upon the `feeler,`the two portions clamped together by the screw 22 may each be provided with teeth sofas to form two 'rows and further insure positive` ness of action. v l' Under normal working conditions, as indicatedin Fig. 1, the main feeler tip alone will engage the filling in the shuttle andthe teeth of the main feeler tip will` ordinarily sini; into the filling so that the feeler may be held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by the filling. Under such normal working conditions the auxiliary feeler tip does not engage the fillingas indicated in Fig. 1, and the relation ofl` the main and auxiliary feeler tipsis such'that even when the filling is substantially f exhausted on a detecting beat, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the feeler moved longitudinally along the filling carrier, as indicated by dotted lines, the auxiliary feeler tip doesnot engage the filling carrier and therefore does not` injure it by sliding movement thereof. |This operative relation of the main -and auxiliary feeler tips will vary,` of course, in accordance with the conditionsof use, but usually the auxiliary feeler tip ,will Vhave'it's teeth not onlyseparated fromith'efteetii of the main vfeeler tip, but located 'froi'itwar'dly thereof with respect to the longitudinalfaxis of the shuttle.` Ordinarily the teeth ofthe main feeler tip will serve to act reliablyto hold the feeler from movement longitudinally of the lshuttle when a working supply of filling is present on a detecting beatfbut sometimes it may fail to perform this unction, and Vespecially is this fact noticeable when the conical portion@ of the filling is presented to the main feeler tip. The frontward pressure of the inclined conicall portion a of the filling against the maineeler tip and under the impactvor blow, is liable to displace the feeler longitudinallyiof the shuttle, in which case 'the auxiliaryl feeler and engage ythe filling, asy indicated i,in Fig-f2, before the feeler has moved sufliciently far to call'the change. On the succeeding heatof the lay of course the feeler will be returned to'itsnor- IUD 'mal feeling position and again the main feeler tip will act upon the filling. Should it again be displaced longitudinally by the frontward impact, the teeth of the auxiliary feeler tip will come into action and prevent replenishment of filling. The extent of the smooth untoothed portion 23 between the teeth of the main feelcr and the teeth of the auxiliary` feeler may of course be varied, but it is desirable in most cases that the plain untoothed portion shall be sufficient and be curved in a manner to cause the teeth of the auxiliary feeler tip to engage the filling only when the main feeler tip fails to be engaged by the filling and held from movement longitudinally Eof the shuttle.

By making the auxiliary feeler tip adjustable relative to the main feeler tip, the feeler may readily be adapted for use in connection with different kinds of iilling, and by forming the teethof the auxiliary feeler tip sharper than the teeth of the main feeler tip, no injury is done the filling, because the teeth of the auxiliary feeler tip lcome into action only occasionally and then should act quickly and promptly.

What is claimed is:

1. A feeler mechanism for looms having a side slipping feeler which is provided with a main feeler tip having teeth which normally engage the filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat, and an auxiliary tip having teeth which engage the filling on a detecting beat only in case the main feeler tip fails to hold the feeler from side-slipping movement as the lay beats up, means for securing the auxiliary tip in fixed adjusted position relative to the main feeler tip that the teeth of the two tips may extend variable distances rearwardly and means for effecting replenishment of lling when neither feeler tip holds the feeler from slipping longitudinally along the filling carrier on a detecting beat.

2. A feeler mechanism for looms having a side slipping feeler which is provided with a main feeler tip having teeth which normally engage the filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat, and an auxiliary tip having teeth which engage the -iilling on a detecting beat only in case the main feeler tip fails to hold the feeler from side-slipping movement as the lay beats up, a clamp carrying the auxiliary feeler tip and adjustably secured to the main feeler that the teeth of the two tips may be placed in different relative rearward positions and means for effecting replenishment of the filling when neither feeler tip holds the feeler from slipping lon tudinally along the filling carrier on a 1- tecting beat.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC SNOW. 

